


I Lose Control

by voices_in_my_head



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: ... I was supposed to write ushioi, 52 weeks challenge, oh well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 10:28:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5925112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voices_in_my_head/pseuds/voices_in_my_head
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"He looks to the bench, where Iwaizumi’s eyes dance from player to player."</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Lose Control

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for this week was: a story set in London and shit, I just realized I never actually mention the city? But it's the 2012 Olympics so we all know it's set in London.
> 
> Anyway, I swear I was going to write ushioi, and then I was like, "hm... you know what would be better?" and yeah, here we are. Haikyuu fandom, I'm here for your rare pairs.

Wakatoshi’s shoulder starts hurting halfway through the game. It’s not a big pain; he can almost pretend it’s not there but he’s aware that with his job, one simple pain can destroy everything. He’s also aware that it’s the second set of the game and Brazil has won the first one. Japan is four points ahead. A few more and they can win this game. One more set and they’ll win the 2012 Olympics.

 

But his shoulder hurts. It’s not the first time and it’s highly unlikely it will be the last. In any other game he would tell the coach. People say he’s hard willed, but he’s not stupid, not willing to throw away his entire career just to finish one set. But this is not a normal set.

 

He looks to the bench, where Iwaizumi’s eyes dance from player to player. He’s seeing the game, Wakatoshi knows, but he’s also trying to find out if any player is hiding an injury. It wouldn’t be the first time, after all, Wakatoshi thinks, stealing a glance at Oikawa, who is looking more serious than he’s seen him in a long time.

 

Brazil takes a point from them and Oikawa sends him a look, telling him to put his mind back in the game. Wakatoshi nods at him and tries to pretend his shoulder is alright.

 

The bench is full of players ready to take his place and he knows the team would be in good hands. None is as good as him, that is true, but they’re all amazing players (they wouldn’t have been chosen for the team otherwise) and they’ve all worked hard and deserve to play as much as him. Wakatoshi, while knowing that he can sometimes be arrogant, also believes in doing the best for his team. Unfortunately, he’s also a prideful man and does not want to leave.

 

Forget the pain, he tells himself, focus on the game. And so he does, at least until they’ve won the set and people are cheering and he’s breathing hard, harder than he should be at the end of just two sets and the minute he goes to drink some water, he can feel Iwaizumi’s eyes on him.

 

Wakatoshi looks away as he drinks half the bottle in big gulps.

 

His shoulder is hurting more and he has the urge to massage it but he knows the minute he does Iwaizumi will inspect him and tell the coach not to let him play the third set. Wakatoshi would understand his decision but he can’t let it happen. Not today. Not in this game.

 

“How are you feeling?” Iwaizumi asks him as he sits down. He should have sat further away but Iwaizumi’s presence comforts him.

 

“Good,” Wakatoshi answers and drinks the rest of his water, looking in front. When he finishes and looks sideways he finds Iwaizumi looking at him.

 

It is not often that someone scrutinizes Wakatoshi like that. He almost wants to run away.

 

“You remember what I told you months ago?” Iwaizumi asks after several seconds of silence, where he just looked into Wakatoshi’s eyes.

 

Wakatoshi nods, knowing immediately what the other is talking about. Months before had been when he’d finally decided to follow Oikawa’s advice (if it could even be called that; the other had just said, “if you like Iwa-chan that much, just ask him out. He’ll say yes, though I can’t see why,”) and had asked their physical therapist out. Iwaizumi, in true Iwaizumi fashion, has studied him for some seconds, head to toe, while Wakatoshi had simply stood there, looking like a statue for the world to inspect, but just wishing for a hole to open up and swallow him because no matter how practical he was and how brave, he still had his insecurities. Finally, Iwaizumi had seemed to find what he’d been looking for, had nodded to himself and said, “okay, but only when we win the Olympics.”

 

Wakatoshi had blinked at him. “What if we don’t win?”

 

Iwaizumi had smiled brightly at him, showing off his teeth and in some occasions that could be called a scary smile. At the time Wakatoshi had just been screaming internally at the fact that he’d gotten a yes in response. “I’m sure you won’t let that happen,” and then Iwaizumi had clapped him on the shoulder and walked away.

 

Things hadn’t changed much after that. Maybe they’d touched more often and there had certainly been some flirting, but just as he’d been told no date had happened. So Wakatoshi had trained and trained, day after day, alongside all his teammates and finally the day had come when they were able to stand on the big stage with millions watching.

 

“I don’t want you to get hurt,” Iwaizumi continues and Wakatoshi draws his attention back to him. Iwaizumi puts his hand on top of his, not afraid that some camera might catch the movement, and Wakatoshi looks at them. His hand’s bigger, although not by much. He might have several inches on the other, but Iwaizumi’s almost as bulky.

 

“I’m not going to get hurt,” Wakatoshi tells him, looking him in the eyes.

 

Iwaizumi doesn’t reply right away, once again studying him, while Wakatoshi just slows his breath. There is still one set to go but with Iwaizumi’s hand on his, he feels more grounded. It’s weird. This was a dream coming true, yet he hadn’t felt so down to earth in a long time.

 

Iwaizumi keeps looking at him until the coach is calling for their attention and Wakatoshi has to get up. He squeezes his hand and goes to his teammates.

 

Oikawa sends him a look, but he doesn’t even try to lose time and decipher it. There are more important things going on.

 

The coach gives them a motivational speech; reminds them all of the sweat and tears shed to make this happen, all that they’ve given and continue to give.

 

In the end he bows and says, “it’s been my pleasure coaching you. Win or lose, I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished.”

 

“Thank you!” The team screams in answer, bowing as well and this is it. The last set. There will be no re-does. This is it.

 

Wakatoshi draws a deep breath and walking towards his spot he almost forgets the pain in his shoulder. And then Oikawa is tossing at him and he makes it, but his shoulder is now screaming and he won’t be able to finish.

 

He looks towards the bench. Iwaizumi is looking intently at him. Wakatoshi doesn’t know what to do. He should call for the coach’s attention and leave the game. He should but he… he doesn’t want to. Not for the team, not for his country, but because this has been his dream for so long. He doesn’t want to give it up, not when it’s right there.

 

But… he’s only 27 years old. His career is still flourishing. There will be other Olympics. Other games. As for his dream… he looks back at Iwaizumi. He’s also always wanted a happy relationship, a big house, a dog, maybe even children down the line.

 

The ball is back up and Wakatoshi slams it with all he’s got and it’s 2 to 0. He looks back at Iwaizumi, still looking at him, almost like he never blinked. Wakatoshi nods at him and sees the other draw out a breath and getting up to go to the coach.

 

The game stops. He’s called back. It hurts walking away from the game, whispers front and back. He walks straight, like this isn’t tearing him apart, feeling like tears will start flowing out at any moment, and suddenly there’s Iwaizumi, grabbing onto his arm and he doesn’t actually need the support, but it feels good.

 

“Can you continue playing?” The coach asks and Wakatoshi shakes his head. “You did what was right, telling Iwaizumi-kun. Trust your team. They’ll win for you,” the coach tells him, and squeezing his shoulder goes to get Bokuto.

 

“Come on, let’s sit down. It’s your shoulder, right?” Iwaizumi asks and Wakatoshi nods again, afraid of opening his mouth. Would he start crying? Would his voice shake and stutter the words? He’d rather not find out.

 

“Hey,” Iwaizumi says, grabbing his chin and raising it until they’re looking in each other eyes. “This isn’t the end of the world. There will be more games.”

 

Wakatoshi nods, still not saying anything. Iwaizumi sends him a small and sad smile.

 

“I know it hurts, but you’ll get through this. I’m here for you,” and then he raises himself to his tip toes, pressing their foreheads together and Wakatoshi breathes in and out slowly.

 

“You’re right,” he murmurs.

 

Iwaizumi draws back, and sends him a bigger smile. “You should know by now that I always am.”

 

Wakatoshi sends him a small smile and finally follows him to the bench. Iwaizumi pulls the sleeve of his t-shirt up and starts looking for what is wrong with his shoulder. It hurts, and it’s not just a physical pain but Iwaizumi is right. He will get through this. There is still much to do and he’s looking forward for all that the future has to offer.

 


End file.
